What is the reason you want to see movies at the cinema? I think a lot of people will give two possible answers. First of all because it is not available anywhere else and secondly because of seeing it on the big screen. The second answer made me wonder as there are many cinemas around which have small screens and where you get the feeling you are sitting in a big living room. Luckily almost all cinemas near me all have huge screens, but there is an older one which has a couple of very small screens. I have visited it a couple of times (usually if a movie wasn’t playing anywhere else anymore) and although I still enjoyed seeing it in the cinema I thought the impact would not have been that different compared to watching it at home.
My question to you:
Do you think a movie is worth seeing at the cinema if the screen is small?
I think it depends on the film. I can’t imagine watching Laurence of Arabia on a small TV let alone an iPod video or something. It has to be seen on the big screen or in a big TV.
That is a movie that needs it, I agree 🙂
Good question.
I have a pretty nice home theater set up so I tend to only go see films that I really want to see right away so I’ll have to see them at the cinemas. The last few years, many theaters have been turned into multiplexes and a lot of these theaters have small screen and it’s not worth paying the big bucks to see movies there. Also, some of these theaters aren’t equipped with the best surround sound system, my home theater sounds better than some of them.
The last couple of years, I’ll only go see movies at the real IMAX theater or the digital one if a certain movie isn’t shown at the real IMAX. I feel like I get my money’s worth if I saw a movie at a theater that has a huge screen and great surround sound. I get upset when I go see a movie at a theater that has the screen size that’s just a bit bigger than my home screen.
Yeah, a nice setup really makes you want to watch movies at home. I know what you mean with the surround. Am pretty happy with my own setup and if the neighbours do not complain I enjoy pumping it up a bit.
Unfortunately we do not have a real IMAX theatre around anymore, I used to love the experience. We only have the digital ones, which are alright as well I guess.
Size matters not.
Mind you, as Steven says in the comments above, I’d rather watch Pacific Rim or Man of Steel on a big-ass screen, not on my iPad. That being said, I don’t mind snuggling into the blankets with a good flick on a tablet: frankly, if the story and the characters don’t grab me, it won’t matter what size the screen is. Having a decent home cinema always helps, though.
i guess it all depends on the movie, really. I could easily watch some garbage romantic chick-flick on a small screen, while the big blockbusters almost warrant a big screen experience. But I’m happy with either.
In general I do not mind the size of the screen, but I will want to watch action movies on my TV instead of my tablet…everything else I am not as picky. As long as I am able to watch a movie I enjoy that time 🙂
It’s not about the screen size for me. It’s the entire experience with buying the Coke and sitting down and watching previews and… for me, it’s often my alone time, time that I take out for myself and just indulge. It makes the film sink in as well, there’s no pause button or commercials.
Though, of course, there are some films (khm Gravity khm) that absolutely demand to be seen on a big screen – then it’s important, I’d say.
I do enjoy the cinema experience as the crowds here are generally silent and do not use their phones, like you say it is some nice alone time and there are no distractions. Gravity is a must on the big screen, completely agree…I even saw it twice because I knew the impact would not be the same on a TV.
My wife and I were on vacation when The Dark Knight was released and we saw it at some rinky dink theater on the island with a screen that was about 55 inches. Seriously. Yes, the movie was still great, but as soon as i got home I went and saw it at my local theater. It was even better 😉
55 inches? That is tiny! I can imagine you wanted to see that on a bigger screen!
The screen size doesn’t really matter for me. I do however prefer watching blockbusters (that I really want to see) on a big screen. The movie’s supposed to be big, so why not go big? Then again, there are great works like Gravity that you just have to watch on the big screen, because it counts with the experience.
Those are usually the type of movies I also want to check out on the big screen. Funny how many people mention Gravity and I understand why!
Huge, big budgets with a lot of things being blown up, I prefer on a big screen. In contrast, if it’s a dialogue/character driven movie, I prefer the intimate feel of a smaller screen.
Sound reasoning!
IMAX!!!
🙂
Ahah, if the screen is as big as my TV then no point going to the movies. To me, the quality and size matters and there’s also that sound quality I’d never get in home cinema. Plus, it’s nice that I don’t have to pay for most movies these days 😀
Yeah free usually is a convincing thing isn’t it 😉 I know there are free screenings over here I could possibly attend, but they are usually on Tuesday when I have other things to do (plus I already have a relatively cheap subscription to the biggest chain around here, so it does not cost me that much).
Yes, for the communal experience–especially for comedies and horrors.
I can imagine it can add something, although I personally really do not go to the cinema for that.